Stephen Greenberg

Stephen Greenberg
Born	(1948-09-08) September 8, 1948 New York City, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Baseball executive, former minor league baseball player, investment banker, sports agent, television executive
Known for	Deputy Commissioner of Baseball, co-founder of Classic Sports Network (ESPN Classic)

Stephen David Greenberg (born September 8, 1948) is a former American baseball executive who held the positions of deputy Commissioner of Baseball and chief operating officer for Major League Baseball under the leadership of commissioners Fay Vincent and Bud Selig. He was a co-founder of Classic Sports Network, which later became ESPN Classic. Greenberg is the son of Hall of Fame inductee Hank Greenberg.

Early life

Stephen was born in New York City to Caral () and Hank Greenberg, one of three children in the family. His father, a celebrated player for the Detroit Tigers and Pittsburgh Pirates, retired in 1947 and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1956. His mother descended from the notable Gimbel family, being the daughter of Bernard Gimbel.

Raised primarily in Cleveland, where his father served as general manager, Greenberg attended the Hotchkiss School in Connecticut with aspirations to pursue a career in baseball like his father. In 1968, he played a key role in the Falmouth Commodores’ Cape Cod Baseball League championship by drawing an important walk during the final game.

At Yale University, Greenberg was a four-year varsity baseball player while majoring in English and also competed as a goalkeeper on the varsity soccer team. In 1970, he was selected in the 17th round (398th overall) by the Washington Senators. He also represented the United States at the 1969 Amateur World Series, where he posted a .296 batting average with 11 RBIs as the team finished second to Cuba.

Player career

Greenberg spent five seasons playing in the minor leagues, mainly occupying first and third base positions with occasional appearances in the outfield. He began his professional career in 1970 with the Geneva Senators of the New York-Pennsylvania League, batting .277 with six home runs over 50 games. The following year, he split time between the Pittsfield Senators (Eastern League) and Burlington Senators (Carolina League), hitting .225 with five homers across 91 games.

Although his numbers were modest, he earned a promotion to Triple-A with the Denver Bears (American Association) in 1972, improving his average to .264 with 12 home runs in 104 contests. In both 1973 and 1974, Greenberg played for the Spokane Indians (Pacific Coast League), maintaining a .281 batting average each season.

With limited opportunities to advance further, Greenberg chose to retire after the 1974 season despite his steady progress. Over five years, he compiled a .269 batting average with 43 home runs, 244 RBIs, and 431 hits—including 20 doubles and 15 triples—alongside a .381 on-base percentage and 278 walks. Defensively, he appeared in 338 games at first base, 101 at third base, and 53 in outfield roles.

Post-playing career

Following his retirement from playing, Greenberg earned a law degree from UCLA School of Law in 1977. He then acted as a player representative for Major League players, representing more than fifty athletes including four-time National League batting champion and three-time All-Star Bill Madlock.

Greenberg was appointed deputy commissioner of Major League Baseball by Commissioner Fay Vincent, having previously been offered a similar position by Vincent’s predecessor Bart Giamatti shortly before Giamatti’s passing. He continued to serve under acting commissioner Bud Selig but resigned in 1993 due to frustrations stemming from conflicts among owners, front offices, and players. His tenure concluded on April 13 that year, with Paul Beeston succeeding him.

In 1995, Greenberg partnered with Brian Bedol to establish Classic Sports Network, which was later acquired by ESPN and rebranded as ESPN Classic. He also served as chairman of College Sports Television (CSTV), recognized as the first cable channel dedicated exclusively to collegiate sports.

When Bud Selig stepped down as Commissioner of Baseball in 2015, Greenberg was considered for the role but declined to pursue it, opting to continue as managing director at investment firm Allen & Company. Since joining Allen & Company in 2000, he has played a key role in facilitating six Major League team transactions. He remained active in this capacity as recently as 2020.

Additionally, Greenberg has contributed as a member of the Board of Directors for the Jackie Robinson Foundation.

Personal life

Following his graduation from Yale, Greenberg wed Myrna Katz, who graduated from New York University, on May 31, 1970. The couple has two daughters, Jennifer and Melanie, and they are grandparents to four grandchildren.

Additionally, Linda Vester is his sister-in-law, being married to his brother Glenn.